Shane Warne Gave Me A Huge Platform In IPL 2008, I Got Sad The Moment I Heard About His Death: Ravindra Jadeja
Shane Warne Gave Me A Huge Platform In IPL 2008, I Got Sad The Moment I Heard About His Death: Ravindra Jadeja

Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja admitted that he was heartbroken after receiving the news of legendary Australian player Shane Warne. Warne passed away on Friday in Thailand because of a suspected heart attack.

Warne mastered the art of spin bowling and with his variations would trouble the batters on the pitch. Ask former England batter Mike Gatting, who might have watched his dismissal to Warne in 1993 in Manchester, after he failed to read an unbelievable leg-spin delivery from the spin wizard. That delivery of Warne is famously called as ‘Ball of the century’.

Ravindra Jadeja’s first meeting with Shane Warne in IPL 2008

A 19-year-old Jadeja played under Warne for the first time for Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Jadeja scored 135 from 14 matches in IPL 2008, which Rajasthan Royals won after defeating MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings in the final by three wickets.

Shane Warne and Ravindra Jadeja
Shane Warne and Ravindra Jadeja were playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2008. Image: Twitter

It was a shocking news: Ravindra Jadeja on Shane Warne’s death

Jadeja had impressed Warne with his talent and the Australian player called him a superstar at a very young age. The 33-year-old all-rounder said that he wasn’t ready to believe Warne’s sudden demise. Jadeja also opened up on his reaction to playing with Warne in the first season of the IPL.

“It was a shocking news. The moment I heard it, I was so sad and I wasn’t feeling well. I found it difficult to believe that this can be true,” Jadeja said in the press conference after Day 2 of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Mohali. 

When I first met him in 2008, he was already a legend and I couldn’t believe that I would be playing alongside a player of Shane Warne’s stature. We were just coming out of our U-19s and to share the dressing room with Warne was a huge thing for youngsters like us. He gave me a huge platform and post U-19, it was a direct entry into the IPL. 

Shane Warne
Shane Warne[photo: Twitter]

“His death shows that there are no certainties in life. Anything can happen anytime and this kind of news suddenly shocks you to ‘what the hell is happening?’ I want to pray to Almighty that his soul rests in peace,” Jadeja added. 

Jadeja scored an unbeaten 175 against Sri Lanka on the second day of the Mohali Test as India declared the first innings at 574/8.

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